Model Railroading > painting handrails

I think I have found a way to paint slippery plastic handrails on diesels like Kato's without removing them and possibly damaging them.  After cleaning them with a Q tip soaked in Scalecoat II thinner, I paint them with Tamiya polycarbonate paint designed for lots of flexing.  When dry I can paint the handrails a second coat in the proper color using acrylic paint.  So far I have not seen any evidence of chipping and I hope this will be permanent.  Any comments or will I be sorry? 

IMHO, perfectly manicured handrails are unrealistic by nature unless a locomotive is brand new.  Look at anything you see go by .....
 

Bill Miller
Galt, ON

That's very true if you weather your locomotives, but I have never had the courage to try that, so my locomotives all look like they just came from the builder.  That's why I try to get the handrails looking good.  Probably not too realistic, but maybe easier to sell later on instead of a botched weathering job at my hands. Some weathered locomotives I've seen on TO and other forums are really works of art and once in a while they are overdone too.

Interesting tip. I'm assuming that you're brushing the paint on? or spray? Air brush?
Also, is there a specific name for the polycarbinate paint? Is that paint clear?
(Guess I had more questions than I thought!)

Please let us know how well it works after drying / handling / time / etc.

And thanks for sharing!

The paint that carman says is left of the attached photo. I was taught the method by Yasushi Sasaki about 20 years ago. He has written several articles in RMC magazine. We, Japanese modelers, know four ways in which amateurs can paint polyacetal resin (Delrin, Duracon, Celcon and etc.).

The 1st one is this.
The 2nd is painting first with "Mr. Metal Primer," a product of the GSI Creos Corporation.
The 3rd is overnight-immersing in "91 per cent rubbing alcohol." (by Jim Wiggin, Feb. 2012 of RMC)
The 4th is painting first the Tamiya Super Surfacer (right of the photo, the notation is "Suface Primer for plastic & meral" gray or white), and then "heating."

A particularly recommended method is the 4th. This was introduced in Dec. 1997 issue of Tetsudo-Mokei-Shumi (Railroad Model Hobby, Japanese magazine). It is said that the coating film can not be peeled off even if it is scratched with a nail. If you are interested, I may try translating the explanation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/17 10:56 by BN7023.

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Method 4 seems interesting. I would be interested in a translation of further instructions in the technique, attempted or otherwise!

~ BZ

I had two Kato GP35's with handrails glued on so I didn't want to damage them with removal.  I brush painted the Tamiya PC-6 yellow for polycarbonates on the rails covering them thoroughly. The final acrylic was a darker yellow and it flowed on nicely giving them a flat finish over the shiny Tamiya.  Now three days later I have tried to scratch it off and it wouldn't budge. I suppose clear paint would work well, I just had the yellow handy, but any color would probably work. The other methods mentioned above are probably more sophisicated than mine, but I wasn't up for that much work. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/17 13:56 by cabman.

Tamiya paint for polycarbonate in bottles for brushing, such as the PC-6 yellow mentioned, is no longer made. 

Paul B.